The mission of the USS GUAM, one of Seven IWO Jima class amphibious assault ships built
is to transport more than 1700 fully equipped Marine Assault Troops into combatr areas and
land them by helocopter at designated inland points. This technique of vertical
envelopment pioneered by the Navy-Marine Corps Team, exploits flexibility and suprise.
Guam is capable of supporting a Marine Batallion Landing Team, it's armament, vehicles,
equipment and a reinforced squadron of transport helicopters and various support
personnel. Combat-ready Marinesare flown in-land behind the enemy's defenses by
helicopters to isolate strategic strong points, disrupt communicatioins, and converge with
beach landed Marines to gain ultimate control of their objective. Guam also supports
mine-sweeping operations with Helicopter Mine Countermeasure Squadrons and provides
humanitarian assistance and a non-combatant evacuations of American Embassy personnel and
citizens caught in civil-conflict overseas.